The Falcons won six straight games, winning both doubleheader home games against Oakland and winning all four games at the Morehead State Classic, defeating Morehead and St. Bonaventure twice March 16-17. This past week, however, the Falcons lost five in a row, resulting in their overall record dropping to 10-16.
Wednesday consisted of a doubleheader at the Wright State baseball field against the Dayton Flyers and Wright State Raiders. Both games against Dayton and Wright State resulted in a 5-4 loss while playing back to back.
“We played Dayton and Wright State close and had both of those games won,” said head softball coach Sarah Willis. “We are needing to work on cleaning up the defense if we are to keep teams at bay.”
After Wednesday’s doubleheader, the team traveled for three games in Athens against the Ohio Lady Bobcats. All three games resulted in losses with the first game at 7-2, the second game at 8-7 and the third game at 15-10.
Friday’s 7-2 game was won by Bobcats pitcher Madi McCrady improving to 10-6 while Meredith Miller received the 7-8 loss. Early runs hurt the Falcons, falling to a 3-0 deficit with the Bobcats striking first.
Luckily, the Falcons rallied back cutting the lead to 3-2 on a Sarah Gonzalez two-out single to center field with Madi McCoy and Payton Hamm scoring. Unfortunately, the Bobcats tagged on another four runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth inning, resulting in the loss.
“The up and down of the season is based on our team needing to get consistent on defense,” Willis said.
Saturday’s games consisted both of doubleheaders. The first game resulted in eight innings after being tied 7-7. McCrady once again took the win while Brooke Parker took the loss, falling to a 3-6 record. Runs were scored back and forth with both Sorgi sisters having RBIs.
McCoy had a fourth-inning RBI to build the lead to 5-2. Then, when trailing 6-5, she had a sixth-inning, two-run homer regaining the lead to 7-6. Although, in the bottom of the sixth Parker gave up a walk to Bobcats right fielder Morgan Geno. Two innings later Geno batted the winning run with bases loaded.
After the first game, McCrady won her third straight game improving to 12-6 with Madison French of the Falcons falling to 0-2. The Bobcats would once again gain an early advantage leading 4-0 after the first two innings. McCrady held a consistent 4-0 lead until the fifth inning.
An eight-run fifth inning began with a McCoy three-run homer, an Evelyn Loyola two-run homer and a Payton Hamm three-run homer. However, the Bobcats would score 11 runs in the fifth and sixth inning with a three-run homer and a Geno grand slam. Although the Falcons added two runs in the seventh, they fell short.
“Our offense will score runs this year, but our pitching and defense is needing to clean some things up and execute the way I know they can. We have some work to do in those areas,” Willis said.
The Falcons play at Purdue Fort Wayne Wednesday then host the Toledo Rockets at home.
